Control head



1943' v H. c. GRANT, JR 2,326,138

CONTROL HEAD Filed Aug. 20, 1941 INVENTOR CGrazzzfrfi: BY

ATTORN Patented Aug. 19, 1943 UNiTED STATE-S rArsNr oemeg.

V .ooN'r-Ro Harry C. Grant, .iflQNew York, N. Y., assigrior to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J.-, csr pqrstiontnwrerse 1 p ilcsao tguezo, isiigs'enaitr inees roam (Clqi i fiiil Thepresent invention relates to control do vices, and more particularly to a; pull cable actuated control head adapte'd to be used in connec tion: withcontrolling valves of systems for the pensing a high pressure fluid medium.

In systemsior dispensing or releasing a fluid 7 pressure medium such as carbon dioxide :used for extinguishing fires or for other purposes",- itis' customary to provide the container or cylinder for storing the fluid, medium with a valve or similar means for releasing the medium. A suit able valveior this purpose may comprise a sprung seated piston operated valve member. adapted to be opened by a pilot valve which normallyis maintainedin closed position by; the operation of l Another object is to provide a controh head which is small, compact and light in weight and is therefore particularly adapted for installations where size and weight are of importance.

Another object is to provide a pul'l cable oper ated control head requiring a relatively light pull to effect operation. 1 i 1. Another object is to provide a control head which is positive in operation-and contains no parts which can get out of position or jam, where by the control head may fail to be operated.

Another object is to provide a control head there is shown Figure 2/,- aportion: of; ayalve assembly it for releasing a pressure medium from a cyi-inder wherein the valve means (not; shown) are actuated by a pilotvalve member I i normally held against a valve seat [2; toclose a lay-pass, port it througlrwh-icha por-tion of the pressure medium maybe eonducted to actuatethe valve means; A'c'ontrol head i5, iii-accord- V a'nce with theinvention for operating the pilot valvemeinber Ii may be mountedon: and at-- tached to the upper endof the valve assembly ill by a suitable coupling nuti'ii' or the like.

The controihead comprises a; substantially. T-shaped body, casing or housing 26' having a downwardly depending tubular portion 2| providing the base of the T which extends in-tothe valve assembly and carriesta nut 1 16 for securing the headzto thevalve asseinb1y.- Atubularporf-i having means for visibly indicating when the parts thereof are improperly positioned prior to operation of the head. i

i A further object consists in" the construction tion- 22 extendstransversely and perpendicularly acrossthe casing portion 2| and preferably is integral; therewith-to provide the arms or the T. The: downwardly depending portion 2! has a cylindrical-inner bore 2 4 which is provided with a portion of ;r -:duced diameter at the upper end Mr housing an annular packing o'r sealing glarid 2-5- anil which terminetesin an aperture reload: ing tothe interior. or the transversely extending tubular siortio-r'i 22L .A substantially cup shaped sleeve member t! is positioned in the lower ertion 0% the bore: 2 5 arid-may beretained by a spring ring ZSrfoi-ce'd into an annular groove" 30 the side wallof thebore. If desired the sleeve 21! mayibe screw threadedintothe bore:-

A: pin or red 31 is mounted in' the" sleeve- 21 and ha its lower end ext'e nding through an an: erture in the base of the sleeve and is adapted to engage the pilot'va-lve member l-iandnunseat.

' in shape to facilitate engagement by cammeans scribed ingreater detail in connection the accompanying drawing, wherein: p

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewof a control head, illustrating embodiment of the inven' Figure'zls a longitudinal sectional view of: the control head mounted on a valve. l t

Figure 3cis a top View partly in section, illus trating, a detail; of; the control head. 1. f: Referring more particularlyto: the drawing,

inthe tubular portion 22 for moving the pin downwardly,.- as about to-be' described." Theipin preferably is normally maintained in its upper position by a cylindrical helical spring 32 tale- J eped about the pin andhavingit lower end seated onthe endwall of the cup-shaped sleeve Hand having its upper end abutting a disc or washer 34', through which the" pin extends and which is-eng'aged by a flange 35 on the pin. The

- spring 3-2 normally is slightly compres'sed. to urge the washer 34 upwardly against the sense 35 which in turn causes the pinato' be urged up= wardly. The extent of upward movement of the pin may be limited by positioning a washer 36 in the bore 24, which acts as a stop for the flange 35 when the pin is urged upwardly. The washer 33 is secured in the bore by the inner end of the sleeve 27 which holds the washer against a shoulder 37 adjacent the gland 25.

The tubular portion 22 or" the casing or body 2B of the control. head preferably is'cylindrical in shape and has a circular bore of substantially uniform diameter extending longitudinally therethrough. An operating member 50 provided with a cam surface for'engaging the upper end of the pin 3| is slidably mounted in the bore of the casing portion 22.

cylindrical portion ii adjacent'one end and a substantially cylindrical flange 32 spaced longitudinally from the portion al, which serve as guide portions for slidably mounting the member the member "46 at an angle of between about 7.5

and 15, but preferably; about 10.

The cam portion is further provided with a relatively short cylindrical surface 45 at'the converging end of the cam surfaceland adjacent the flange 42; The cylindrical surface is adapted to engage :the pin when the slidable member all is inits normal or non-operated position.

The slidable member 4! is adapted to be operated by a pull cablelifi which extends through a longitudinal bore ll in the member ti which is secured. to the member all by set screws 49 and 50 threaded into the cylindrical guideportion M and-the flange 42, respectively. The: slidable member to preferably is maintainedin its normal position'by a cylindrical helical spring '5! telescoped about a tubular end portion 52 ofreduced: diameter and having one end thereofengaging the flange E2. The other end of the spring engages the end wall of a cap member 54threaded to the open end of the tubular portion" 22'. The cap member is provided with an aperture '55 through which the cable passes outwardly of the casing 20. H -'In order to facilitate inserting the operating member it into the tubular casing portion 22,

' the free end of the member i adjacent the cylindrical guide portion ll issubstantially frustoconical in shape to provide a cam surface 53 for urging the pin 3! downwardly, during assembly, to permit the guide portion to slide over the pine An aperture or ventel is provided for relieving air pressure in the tubular casing portion which maybe caused by the sliding movement of the member 50. -"It is desirable to be able to readily determine 1 This slidable member iil has a substantially terial to exclude foreign substances from the bore of the tubular portion 22. The discs 60 may be held in place by suitable spring retaining rings 6| or the like. The end portion 52 of the slidable member is coated with a conspicuous color so that by observing the'holes 59, it can be readily determined whether or not the slidable member d0 is in normal position or has been operated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved control head which is simple and inexpensive in construction. The control head is readily assembled and can be operated by exerting a slight force on the pull cable to insure quick and positive operation. When the cam surface 44 slides acorss the pin 3!, the pin is moved downwardly to unseat the pilot valve member ll.

When the pullcableis released the spring 55 returns the operating member to its normal position. In the jected.

While my invention resides in certain principles of construction and operation which have been illustrated and described in connection withthe accompanying drawing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that'the invention may be embodied in other forms of construction without departing in any manner. from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I therefore do notwish to be strictly limited to the disclosure, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A control head comprising a body; a casing on said body provided witha bore closed at one end and open at itsother end; .a cap attached to said casing at said open end; a member adapted to be operated having one end thereof extending into'the bore of said casingj means for urging said member toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flange acting as a guide portion for said plunger and providing a pair of shoulders one of which is adapted to abut the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing, a second guide portion, and a cam portion intermediate said guide portions adapted to operate said member; and a spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of said flange and having its other end abutting said cap for urging the first shoulder of said flange against the position of the slidable operating member 40 in the-casing portion 22." To accomplish this, the casing portion. 22 may be provided with sight holes adjacent the end at'which the cap: Mis

secured. Preferably a'pair of diametrically opposite holes .59 (Figure 3).are provided which are closed each by a disc Bil of transparent mathe end or said member extending into the bore of said casing.

2. A control head comprising a body; a casing on said body provided with a bore closed at one end and open at its other end; a cap attached to said casing at said open end; a member adapted to-be operated having one end thereof extending into the bore of'said casing; means for urging said member toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flange acting as a guide portion for said plunger and providing a pair of shoulders one of which is adapted to abut the end of said memberextending intion at the endof said plunger adjacentsaid closed end of said casing for urging said member out of the boretotiacilitate positioning of the plunger therein;- and a spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of saidflangeand having its other end abutting said cap for urging the first shoulder of said flange against the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing. a 1 ,7

3. A control head comprising a body; a easing on said body provided with a bore closed at one end and open at its other end; a capattached to said casing at said open'end; a member adapted to be operated having one end thereof extending into thebore of said casing; means for urging said member toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flange acting as a guide portionfor said plunger and pro viding a pair of shoulders one oi which is adapted to abut the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing, a second guide portion, and a cam portion intermediate said guide porsaid plunger adjacent saidclosed end of said cassaid member, and a cam portion at the end of 3 ing for urging said member out of the bore to facilitate positioning of the plunger therein; a

spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of saidflange and having its other end abuttlng'said cap for urging the first shoulder of said flange against the end of said member extending into the bore of saidcasing; and a pull cable secured 'to' said plunger and-extending 3 through the aperture in said cap.

I one end and open at its other end; a cap attached to said casing at saidopen end and having an 6,'A control head comprising a body; a casing on said body provided with a bore closed at aperture therein; a member adapted to be oper ated having one end thereof extending into the a bore of said casing; means for urging said men-- tions adapted to operate said member; a spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of said flange and having its other end abutting said cap for urging the first shoulder of, said flange against the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing; and means for indicating when said plunger has been moved to operate said member, including an aperture in said cas ing adjacent said open end and a conspicuously colored portion on said plunger at the end adjacent said open end of the casing. V V

e. A control head comprising a body; a casing on said body provided with a bore closed atone end and open at its other end; a cap attached i ber toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flangeacting asa guide portion for said plunger and providing a pair of shoulders one of which is adapted to abut theend of said memberjextending into the bore ofsaid casing, a

second guide portion, acam portion intermedi-' ate said guide portions adapted to operate said member, and a cam portion at the end of said to said casing at saidopen end and having an.

aperture therein; a member adapted to be cperated having one end thereof extending into the bore of said casin means for urging said member toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flange acting as a'guide portion for said plunger and providing a pairof shoulders one of which is adapted to a-but'the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing, a second guide portion, and a cam portion intermediate aid guide portions adapted to operate said member; aspring having one end abutting the other shoulder of said flange and having its other end abutting said cap for urging the first shoulder of said flange against the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing; and a pull-cable secured to said plunger and extending through the apertur in said cap; a 5. A control head comprising a body; a casing on said body providedwith'a'b-ore closed at one end and open atits other end; a cap attached to said casing'at said'open end and having an aperture therein; a member adapted to be operated having one end thereof extending into the bore of said casingymeans for urging said plunger adjacent said closed end of said casing for urging vsaid member out of the bore to facilitate positioning of the plunger therein; a spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of said flange and having its other end abutting said cap for urging the first shoulder of said flange. against the end of said member extending into the bore'of said casing; a pull cable secured to said plunger and extending through the aperthe bore of said casing for slidable movement therein, having a flange acting as a guide portion for said plunger and providing a pair of shoulders one of which i ad-aptedto abut the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing,

a second guide portion, a'camportion intermediate said guide portions adapted to operate said,

member, and a cam portion at the end of said plungeradjacent said closed end of said casing member toward the bore; a plunger positioned in the bore of said casing for slidablelmovement therein, having a flange acting as a guide portion for said plunger and providing a pair ofshoulders one of which is adapted to abut the end of said member extending into the bore of said casing, a second guide portion, a cam portion intermediate said guide portionsadapted to operate for urging said member out of the bore to facilitate positioning of the plunger therein; a spring having one end abutting the other shoulder of said flange and having it other end abutting 7 said cap for urging the first shoulder of said j flange against the end of said member extend-' ing into the bore of said casing; a pull cabl se cured to said plunger and extending through the aperture in said cap; and means for indicating when said plunger had been moved to operate said member, including an aperture in said casing adjacent said open end and a conspicuously colored portion on said plunger at the end adjacent said open end of thecasing.

HARRY C. GRANT, JR. 

